"Women in Sunlight," by Frances Mayes

Many of you know, or know of, the American writer Frances Mayes' memoirs about her time in Tuscany, Italy (most famously, "Under the Tuscan Sun," "Bella Tuscany," and "Every Day in Tuscany"). I did not know, however, that Mayes has also written fiction about expatriates in Tuscany; I have just read and thoroughly enjoyed her novel "Women in Sunlight" (Crown, 2018). It is a lovely portrayal of a sort of dreamlike yearlong stay in Tuscany by three late-middle-aged, talented North Carolina women who have only recently met, exchanged their stories -- which include, among them, those of recent widowhood, betrayal, divorce, and the pain of a daughter seemingly lost to drugs -- and within a very short time, decide to take a yearlong lease on a villa in a small town in Tuscany. They become very close friends, and enjoy the pleasures of their new lives: gorgeous scenery, friendly local people, a new writer friend living nearby, delicious food, travels around Italy, learning Italian, time to engage in art, writing, cooking, and gardening, and -- of course! -- some new men in their lives. There are intriguing plot elements, but the main pleasures of the book are the women's new and joyful, pleasurable lives in this beautiful place. So, although some of the plot points, and the timing, are not very realistic (how many people could and would in a very short period of time pick up their lives and decide to live for at least a year with brand-new friends in a country across the ocean? With no issues about money, on top of it?) but this reader at least, and I suspect most readers, will not dwell on this lack of realism. One slight obstacle I felt when reading this novel was that the book frequently toggled back and forth among its characters' viewpoints and thoughts, sometimes not making it clear whose voice we are hearing. But this is a small issue, and perhaps my issue rather than the author's. I have to add that one of the pleasures of the book for me was the way that the characters often casually referred to the books of famous women writers. Overall, this novel is so delightful that one can simply sink into it with a sigh of pleasure. I imagine most readers will, at least in passing, entertain the thought of following in the paths of these characters and experiencing a glorious stay in Tuscany as well.